CARSON, Calif. – Sebastian Lletget is building quite something of a legend since joining the LA Galaxy last month, adding a dynamism that was missing from their game and scoring some important, timely goals.
He struck again Wednesday night, a 13th-minute tally to start the 5-0 rout of visiting Portland, and that's four successive games with a goal, including last week's US Open Cup triumph.
It's the product of his pace, instinct and ability to pop up nearly anywhere on the field, and it's going to be tough to keep him out of the lineup, even after Steven Gerrard arrives.
“I'm just doing my job,” the 22-year-old attacking midfielder said Wednesday night. “Bruce [Arena, the Galaxy's head coach] has given me the chance, and I'm just doing what I think I can do. If that is bringing creativity to the team, I think that's what I'm doing.”
Now Lletget gets to take his show home, to San Jose, where the Galaxy have two games in the next week, an MLS showdown Saturday at Stanford Stadium and a US Open Cup fifth-round battle next Wednesday at the Earthquakes' Avaya Stadium.
“I can't wait till the next one. I can't wait till San Jose,” Lletget said. “I know it's my hometown, so it's a little special one for me.
“I'll have a lot of friends, family. Everybody's going to be there, I promise you. My three sisters, my two parents and about 20 friends. Honestly, it's going to be nuts.”
Lletget arrived on a free transfer from West Ham United – though the Galaxy had to compensate the New England Revolution, who had a Discovery claim on him – which had plucked him from Silicon Valley youth club Sporting Santa Clara at 17. The London club developed him with their academy and reserve teams, but gave him just one first-team appearance, in an FA Cup defeat to Nottingham Forest in January 2014.
The Galaxy, he hoped, would enable him to reignite his career – and now he's seeing that happen.
He made his first start in the 1-1 draw June 13 at Columbus, giving LA a 13th-minute lead with a savvy maneuver to beat Crew defender Michael Parkhurst, then netted the early equalizer four days later as LA romped to a 6-1 victory over amateurs PSA Elite in their Open Cup opener. He came off the bench last weekend to score a fine finale in the 5-1 rout of Philadelphia.
He was back in the starting XI Wednesday, on the left flank, and made an immediate impact. He scored with a first-time shot from a nice Dan Gargan feed, then drew a penalty kick four minutes later that Robbie Keane converted for a quick two-goal advantage.
“I knew I just had to get across the man,” said Lletget, who was taken down by Timbers forward Maximiliano Urruti. “And I slowed down on purpose just to see if there was any contact, and he went for it.”
Arena praised his “very good performance.”
“He, in the early minutes of the game, was our best player and made a bunch of good plays,” the coach said. “And ultimately [he] got the first goal.”
Left back
Robbie Rogers
praised him as “a very technical player” who has brought “a little extra energy, a little extra something in midfield.”
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Said Keane, himself a former Hammer: “He has got some quality. He's very, very comfortable on the ball, and sometimes he just has to learn how to get rid of the ball a little quicker, which I've spoken to him about. He does some great stuff at times. He holds the ball up so long, and then, before you know it, you're absolutely shattered [as his opponent]. They found out.
“He's young, he's learning, he's just been great; he's scoring a few goals, which is very important to us. He's a lad that listens, and already he has been a big addition, and going forward he will be.”
Lletget says it's been easy to fit in, that his “style of play just suited the team, and they welcomed me with open arms.”
“I think the way Bruce managed it was bringing me in slowly, coming on as a sub [in losses May 17 at Orlando City and June 6 at home against Vancouver],” he said. “And then the start against Columbus was good, especially with the goal. It was a good way to just get a start with this team. From then on, I felt confident. I just hope to keep it going.”
